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Changes made to the upcoming movie Pathaan and to Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's attire for the song Besharam Rang at the CBFC's request may assist to avoid a Laal Singh Chaddha-like destiny, but in such a climate, the future of the film industry may not be promising.
Despite the criticism surrounding it, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's seductive song Besharam Rang from their upcoming movie Pathaan went on to become one of the most well-liked songs to be played around the New Year. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has instructed the filmmakers to make various adjustments to the movie, including the songs, weeks before it is released. It is unknown whether the CBFC has requested that the song's lyrics, the title, or Deepika's attire in Besharam Rang be changed. However, it doesn't appear like this is good news for the entertainment business as a whole. Why?
Because Deepika is neither the first nor the last person to wear saffron in a suggestive song, nor is this the first time her film or song is receiving criticism before its release. In fact, despite director Sanjay Leela Bhansali receiving physical abuse on the set and Deepika receiving horrifying death threats, her high-profile blockbuster Padmaavat ended up grossing $300 crore worldwide. All of this took place before the demonstrators saw the movie that they feared would damage the reputation of their beloved queen in her biography, in which she did not wear a bikini or dance to obscene lyrics. After Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela and Padmaavat, Pathaan may soon become Deepika's third movie to have its title changed.
This is a complex issue. The Supreme Court approved Raj Kapoor's Satyam Shivam Sundaram after receiving a complaint about "obscenity," and Bandit Queen, which was initially criticized for its vulgar language and nudity but went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, are examples of how India has become a more racially charged country with each passing year. Twitter allows for the rapid propagation of controversies and the calling of boycotts without the inconvenience of delivering summonses in person or submitting written complaints. A few minority genuinely assume responsibility for doing it for the benefit of "society" and "religion".
Besharam Rang is controversial and upsetting to some, but the people who are most likely to object to it are those who might never go to a theater to see the movie. But what about the fans who are eagerly anticipating Shah Rukh Khan's return to the big screen and Deepika, who is working with him to duplicate the success of Chennai Express? With so much glitz on TV, I'm sure most people—aside from those of the powerful or those who look after "society"—barely noticed the color of Deepika's bikini or Shah Rukh's undone shirt. There is little chance that this Siddharth Anand movie will end up being as popular as Happy New Year, given the buzz, the number of views on Pathaan's songs and trailer, and the discussion around it. One can criticize this gutsy stance in light of Laal Singh Chaddha's unfortunate outcome, but boycott demands were more focused on the actor's prior utterances than the actual plot of the movie.
There is virtually any evidence that the raunchy lyrics, which are being characterized as objectionable and vulgar, have nothing to do with the storyline of the movie. Similar to how women's fashion choices and chow mein have been held responsible for crimes committed against them, the same can be said about films. Shouldn't our cries for tighter laws and quicker justice be louder in order to reduce crime?
If the color of Deepika's bikini, Shah Rukh's shirt, or the film's title is genuinely changed, wouldn't that be proof that green is the color of Muslims and saffron is the color of Hindus? Why then was Katrina Kaif permitted to wear saffron in the rain song Gale Lag Ja in the movie De Dana Dan with Akshay Kumar? We won't go there because it is an unending list. Although Pathaan is a community, why can't it also be a character's nickname? Who knows, after seeing the movie, we might feel just as proud of this Pathaan as we do of Irfan Pathan, a former cricketer. With every artistic aesthetic being scrutinized by the public, I assume that the practice of choosing colors, which are actually utilized to light up the screen, according to various religions, may damper the spirit of filmmaking in the future. Each person who called out the song can later experience difficulties with their artistic endeavors.
Additionally, there is a nagging belief that Shah Rukh and Deepika are more likely to stir up controversy due of their position. It is still unclear how coarser music and obscene B-grade movies can be released in tiny towns without being screened by the CBFC. It only takes a quick glance at social commentary on Twitter to see how Aamir and Shah Rukh's surnames are currently provoking a small but vocal group of liberal Hindus. Or Twitter is free and the unemployment rate is growing. After his son Aryan Khan was detained in a narcotics case last year, it's reasonable to believe that Shah Rukh's reputation suffered. But unlike millions of other followers, many questioned Aryan rather than Shah Rukh, who has maintained the same level of celebrity for the past 30 years.
